Lady ’Hounds blank Rowe to extend win streak

Photo by T.J. Tijerina Crystal Castillo of the San Benito Lady Greyhounds varsity softball team is shown pitching during Tuesday night's game against McAllen Rowe.

Photo by T.J. Tijerina
Crystal Castillo of the San Benito Lady Greyhounds varsity softball team is shown pitching during Tuesday night’s game against McAllen Rowe.

By ARMANDO GARZA
Special to the NEWS

Revenge can also be a dish best served HOT.

Because that’s exactly how the San Benito Lady ’Hounds are playing softball right now.

Spurred by a leadoff inside-the-park home run from Amber Jasso and tremendous pitching from Crystal Castillo, the Lady ’Hounds avenged an earlier loss to McAllen Rowe with a 2-0 shutout win on Tuesday night.

The ever-important district win was crucial for San Benito (11-3 overall, 2-1 district) which could have fallen two games back of the Lady Warriors (10-3, 2-1) with a setback. San Benito also ran its current winning streak to eight games.

“It was exactly what we expected—a close game, because Nikki Rowe is a great team and played a great game,” San Benito skipper Elias Martinez said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the girls and how they executed. This was a real big game standings-wise and I’m glad we were able to pull it out.”

Castillo, fresh off tourney MVP honors in La Joya last week, was in command from the start as she sustained her dominance of late. Castillo allowed just two hits and fanned 12 on 112 pitches and looked cool and calm in doing so.

“Crystal pitched a heck of a game for us,” Martinez said. “And she got good help behind her.”

After Castillo retired the Lady Warriors in order to start the game, Jasso got the party started in an exciting way.

After hanging in on a 10-pitch at-bat against Rowe hurler Lauren Garza, Jasso ripped a shot to left field. It was a tough play for the Rowe left fielder to make and the ball tipped off her glove and bounced to the corner. That enabled the speedster to make her way around the bases in mere seconds to score the game’s first run.

It was really the only blemish against Garza, who was solid in defeat by allowing three hits and walking two on 106 pitches. She struck out six Lady ’Hounds on the night.

In the second, Garza tried to get it back when drew a leadoff walk and courtesy runner Morgan Playle eventually reached third with two away. But Mel Gonzalez calmly threw out Tori Polanco to end the Lady Warriors’ threat.

The Lady ’Hounds’ lone run held up for the most part, as Castillo was in control and did not allow a hit until Rowe’s Krystal Ramos singled to left in the fourth. Later in the inning, San Benito got an insurance run when Gonzalez, who’d laid down a perfect bunt single, scored on a throwing error for the 2-0 advantage. Alexxus Cavazos had San Benito’s other hit in the inning.

Meanwhile, as the girls have righted the ship after three early-season losses, Martinez said there is still plenty of ball left to be played and added that the tradition and mentality his girls have has spurred them on.

“That’s what we preach here—a never die attitude,” Martinez said. “Our girls know they’ve got that big bulls’ eye on our backs and they realized that they’re gonna have to battle for everything.”

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/02/26/lady-hounds-blank-rowe-to-extend-win-streak/

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